


Of Sadness and Mischief

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Series: Merlin and Arthur Live Again [10]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Explicit Language, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Reincarnation, Romance, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:12:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5193515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur relive memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Sadness and Mischief

**Author:** Emrys MK  
 **Title** : Of Sadness and Mischief  
 **Rating** : R  
 **Characters/pairings** : Merlin/Arthur, Leon, Gwaine, Percival  
 **Summary** : Merlin and Arthur relive memories.  
 **Words** : ~1,340 (Sorry!)  
 **Warnings:** kissing, mild language, sexually suggestive talk  
 **Prompt** 185: mischievous  
 **A/N** : Part ten of my reincarnation series [Merlin and Arthur Live Again](http://archiveofourown.org/series/327398).

 

A shaken Merlin turned from his old house and hurriedly walked towards Arthur’s, needing to get as far away from where he was as possible. Arthur had said they weren’t leaving to meet Percy and Leon until seven, but Merlin wanted to leave immediately; he needed to get properly pissed as soon as possible.

Camelot hadn’t changed significantly in the almost seven years he’d been in Ealdor, but Merlin’s ten-year-old memories were images of never-ending days of blanket forts, red and blue bicycles, only-boys-allowed treehouses, playparks, and other memories that a child might have of growing up with a best friend. What he now viewed when he stood in front of his old home, however, looked foreign.

The new family had painted the former grey house white, added a conservatory, removed the giant oak tree Arthur and he once played in for hours at a time, and the car in front was a small sports car. It was all too different and the thought had Merlin walking faster, needing to see Arthur, and, as if on cue, he appeared, seemingly out of thin air. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you,” and Merlin allowed himself to be pulled into a hug, wondering how sad he must look, because Arthur didn’t let go for several seconds.

“You don’t look so good,” Arthur whispered, pulling back and looking into Merlin’s eyes. “I wish you would’ve waited for me. I didn’t expect to talk to my father for this long.” He then leant in and kissed Merlin.

Merlin allowed the kiss to warm him before he pulled back and shook his head. “You warned me last time that it might be best not to come see the house. The only thing I’ve thought about since I left earlier is waving to you and watching your mother holding you back as you stood there and cried, and feeling my mother’s arms around me as I cried so much that I sicked up. I’ll never get it out of my mind,” and Merlin was fighting back tears, which was bloody ridiculous. He wasn’t ten--he was nearly seventeen and he had his best friend holding him in his arms. What more could he want?

“You’re not the only one who will never forget that day, Merlin. I sat outside for hours waiting for you to come back,” Arthur said softly as his thumb wiped away a tear that was about to fall from Merlin’s right eye. “My mother said you weren’t coming back, but I didn’t believe her. Then my father came outside and sat beside me. He put an arm around my shoulder--as you know, he’s never been one for physical contact, so even my twelve-year-old self knew how important that gesture was--and told me that I would never forget you and that whenever I was sad all I need do is remember the fun times you and I had.” He then laughed. “I think I cried harder after hearing that, and Father got flustered and hurriedly went inside. I don’t think I ever cried in front of him again, and I know he didn't take kindly to me missing you after that day.”

~*~

“So, Arthur,” said Gwaine, a twinkle in his eye, “Tell us about that first kiss between you and Merlin, the one that Leon was an unexpected witness to,” and he waggled his eyes at Merlin.

Arthur glanced over at Merlin, who was looking at him with what could only be apprehension. Did Merlin think he was going to say anything? Arthur had no plans to tell anyone anything, but, perhaps since Gwaine was in the mood for kissing and telling, he might want to do some of his own and tell them about his first night back in England in two months. Arthur grinned; he was going to enjoy this. He turned back towards Gwaine. “I’ll tell if you tell us about your night with _Sir Lancelot_. From what I hear, he’s rather large, and we all know you are one of the few who prefer them _small_ ,” Arthur said, exaggeratedly, and he looked around at his mates then turned back to Gwaine and watched his expression change from carefree to absolutely blank. His job done, Arthur winked in the direction of his much too nosy friend, then turned to Merlin and put an arm around him as he whispered in his ear. “You can thank me tonight.”

“Oh, I will,” Merlin whispered back, then he gave Arthur a peck on the lips before pulling back when he felt the others staring at him,

Arthur looked around the table at his friends and couldn’t help the warmth that spread through his body; he really was fortunate to have such great people in his life, even if they were cheeky and far too curious about his love life. Truth be told, though, Arthur had been the one doing the cheeky questioning not so long ago, so he knew his love life was now fair game, but he would be damned if he would kiss and tell. Only Merlin, Leon, and he knew how that first kiss had happened and that was exactly how Arthur wanted it to stay. No one else needed to know that he and Merlin had shared their first kiss at a playpark they had played in as children.

Almost as if fate had wanted them to end up at this very place, there had been a child-sized castle within for the children to play on. Merlin had walked up the steps and looked down at Arthur, who was looking up at him, a grin on his face as he thought back to their childhood and the days he pretended to be a king and Merlin a knight.

“Yes, Sire, I have once again performed magic, which is illegal in Camelot, but I use it only for you. Please do not banish me,” Merlin had said, his voice trembling and his face looking as if he were about to break into tears. 

Arthur had almost laughed, thinking Merlin was overdoing it, but he had instead chosen another path. “Merlin Emrys, you have shown yourself to be my most loyal knight and have brought me much pleasure with your ability to produce strawberries out of thin air and make dragons appear out of smoke and fire. I have pardoned you more times than I can remember, which makes me regret all the more what must follow, but, as King of Camelot, I have no choice but to sentence you to either death or life with me. I will never again banish you, for I cannot imagine us living in this land without one another. What punishment do you choose?”

Merlin had grinned. “There really isn’t a choice, Sire. I’ll choose you every time.” Then he had leant over the castle wall and Arthur had climbed up so he could reach Merlin, and they had kissed. It had begun fairly chaste, but soon it had turned into much more and they’d found their way to the ground, in each others arms. The magic had been broken seconds later when they heard a whistle. 

“You blokes put on a bloody good show,” said Leon as he climbed up the castle and sat on the edge, dangling his feet over the edge as he looked down at Arthur and Merlin. “Don’t stop for me,” he then said, winking. “I am rather enjoying this mischievous behavior between the king and his knight.”

“Go be mischievous with Percy,” Arthur said, glaring at one of his best mates, "and let us be mischievous alone,” then he had kissed Merlin again and when they broke apart several minutes later, Leon had left.

Looking at Percy, Gwaine, Leon, and Merlin, Arthur smiled as he took Merlin’s hand in his “All any of you need to know is that he chose me,” Arthur said as he leant over and met Merlin in a not-so-innocent or brief kiss.


End file.
